Joy at the capture of Saddam Hussein gave way to resentment toward Washington on Monday as Iraqis confronted afresh the bloodshed, shortages and soaring prices of life under U.S. occupation.

[...]

"It's great that he's caught, but it wasn't him who screwed up the petrol and the electricity and everything else so badly," said a 52-year-old dentist, from his car as he lined up with hundreds of other drivers for gasoline.

"This is an oil country and it should be rich. It should not be Afghanistan."

[...]

"The Americans promised freedom and prosperity; what's this? Go up to their headquarters, at one of those checkpoints where they point their guns at you, and tell them that you hate them as much as Saddam, and see what they do to you," said Mohammad Saleh, 39, a building contractor.

"The only difference is that Saddam would kill you in private, where the Americans will kill you in public," he said.